The DNA of a Garment.
The item that truly caught my attention in the Items: Is Fashion Modern? exhibit at the MoMA was a traditional Indian set that consists of a pair of pants and a long shirt. The shirt is made out of a polyester-cotton blend and is a solid indigo blue color. It starts at the neck as a tailored collared shirt and ends at about knee length. It has long sleeves that stretch down to the wearer’s wrists and end in cuffs that are two inches wide. There is a long slit on either side of the shirt that starts at the exact point where the sleeves end and runs parallel along the wearer’s thighs. There are four simple blue buttons down the front of the shirt and one on each cuff. A pocket is placed at the lower right hand side of the shirt, at hip level. The billowy white cotton pants start at the waist and run down to cover the wearer’s ankles. These pants are a one size fits all and were designed to provide maximum comfort and ease of movement. The set is unisex but when worn by women it is often paired with a long rectangular piece of cloth, usually the same color as the pants and is worn around the neck to appear more modest. The blue shirt and white pants are a very common sight in India as they are often used as a uniform in government schools all over the country. The set is made out of light material in order to comply with harsh weather conditions. The set is hence a modest and functional piece of clothing.
